Gone
by PinkAngel17
Summary: They were all gone now, leaving him alone in the world. Hint of M/G


Disclaimer: Guess what? I still don't own Criminal Minds!

A/N: Just so everyone knows, this is not my usual happy story. So be prepared.

* * *

><p>They were all gone. His friends, no his <em>family<em>. All dead and gone, leaving him alone in a world that was obviously against him for some reason he hadn't quite figured out yet. But he would figure it out…if they didn't kill him first that is.

At times, he could almost hear his family. Ever stoic Hotch with his low voice filled with command, but a tinge of happiness on those rare occasions when he let a smile slip past his defenses. The former leader of the BAU would sometimes visit him at night and then disappear after only a few words of business. He had been the first to appear in his dreams…and also the first to die.

Then their was JJ. One of the few, and also one of the first, women to understand him and accept him for who he was. She had made him smile after Gideon abandoned the family. She tended to do that, to help people heal from grief. Unfortunately, she was taken away soon after Hotch. Her place as comforter was never filled again.

Morgan, one of his best friends. He had been almost like an older brother who always teased him, but also always had his back. _They_ took Morgan's life just like they had Hotch and JJ's. The strong hero was brought down one last time and never got back up.

And Emily. What could he say about Emily? She was lost, then returned, and finally cut down by…_them._ She never saw it coming. Which is saying something considering Emily saw everything. She even saw him, saw who he really was. She, like Morgan, always had his back. She had been there for him to talk to for so many years, but now his words fell on deaf ears.

Of course, Penelope's death was one of the hardest. After losing so many she had been their last line of defense against depression. She had always done that for the family, given a ray of hope in the normally dark subjects of their jobs and proved that there was still innocence and goodness in the world to fight for. But she was gone now too, killed by those hiding in the shadows of life. Her smile and laugh couldn't light up a room any longer.

Rossi was the last one. The man of iron who seemed to come through hard times with a cocky grin was taken away once he watched his family getting killed off one-by-one. Rossi had been his friend and a much needed father figure after Gideon's departure. By the time _they_ had finished with him that cocky smirk was wiped away forever.

Now he was the only one left. Alone, abounded, and waiting for his turn. Because he knew they would come for him. It was only a matter of time. They would try to ambush him when he wasn't prepared, try to force information from him, before finally ending it all. He wouldn't go down that easily though. No, he would keep his eyes open for the ones who killed his family. They were watching him. Always watching and getting closer with each day. It wouldn't be long now…

* * *

><p>"Are you sure this is the only option?"<p>

"I know, baby, I don't like it any more then you do, but he needs more help then we can give him. He'll be okay, don't worry."

"I don't want to leave him here."

Morgan bent down over his wife's shoulder and placed a tender kiss on her temple while continuing to rub her shoulders soothingly from behind her chair. "I don't either." He whispered, nuzzling her temple comfortingly before placing another soft kiss alongside the last one.

"We can come see him anytime we want. Every day even." JJ said softly as she approached the pair facing the bed. Her voice was strained, almost hoarse with unshed tears as she stared at the figure laying in the bed.

"This isn't good-bye, kitten." Rossi added, stepping forward as well and adjusting the sling across his shoulder. He let his eyes linger on the person laying completely still under the pale cream bed sheet. If only the house hadn't exploded with them so close, if only Reid hadn't seen the charred corpses of the already dead victims, if only….if only he had killed the unsub before it had gotten that far.

It was too late now. The damage was done and Reid would never be the same. The young genius had inherited his mother's disorder and all it took was an explosion to set it off. Now they were losing one of the team, a member of their family, to schizophrenia. It didn't seem fair.

"We should go." Hotch's low voice broke through the haze of thoughts that had enveloped the hospital room. The dark haired leader took one more look at the member of his team who was staring up at the ceiling with distant, unseeing eyes before slowly walking around the bed to make room for the nurse who had shown up to give the young man his daily medicine.

"Yeah…" Emily agreed as Hotch placed a hand on her arm to break the trance like state she had been in. She caught his eyes, seeing the sadness leaking through, and quickly wiped at her own before any tears could escape.

"Come on, Baby Girl." Derek said softly when Penelope remained staring at Reid while tears trickled down her pale cheeks. "We'll be back tomorrow." He took her hand, gently pulling her to her feet before wrapping an arm around her waist and tucking her securely into his side where he could feel her presence close to him.

Penelope leaned her head against his shoulder while JJ stepped to her other side and grabbed her free hand. Together they followed Hotch and Emily and slowly made their way out of the room with Rossi trailing behind.

Penelope sniffled as they stepped out of the sanitarium and into the bright sunlight. It was a stark contrast and the cheerful light almost seemed wrong given the circumstances. "He'll get better." Derek stated firmly, giving her waist a gently squeeze. "Eventually…he'll be okay.

* * *

><p>AN: So, what did you think? Review please!


End file.
